System for securing a fish-hold-down

Abstract

The current invention is directed to multiple fish hook hold-downs to secure a connector housing to a circuit assembly at least prior to or during soldering of electrical terminals mounted in the connector to the circuit board. The multiple fish hook hold-down comprises contact portions whose one ends are joined together to form a common adjoining portion, intermediate portions whose proximal ends are integral with the other ends of the contact portions, and fish hook portions integral with distal ends of the intermediate portions. The multiple fish hook hold-downs are initially placed in the connector housing at the contact portion of the hold-down. Prior to assembly, the circuit assembly and the connector housing with the hold down in place may be separately transported. When assembling, fish hook portions of the hold-down are placed in a hold-down engagement hole, and the fish hook portions anchor themselves on an inside surface of the hole so as to secure the connector housing onto the circuit assembly. The anchored fish hook portions are further spread against the inside wall to dig into the inside wall for a stronger retention force between the connector housing and the circuit assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for placing a hold-down for securing a connector housing to a circuit assembly, the circuit assembly having a first side, a second sides and a hold-down engagement hole, the system comprising: a fish-hook hold-down, wherein said fish-hook hold-down comprises: a connector housing contact portion for securing the hold-down to the connector housing;   an intermediate portion having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said intermediate portion is integral with one end of said connector housing contact portion; and   a fish hook integral with said second end of said intermediate portion, said fish hook having a proximal end adjacent to said second end of said intermediate portion and a distal end opposite said proximal end, said distal end including an angled tip portion, wherein said angled tip portion is angled with respect to an axis along said proximal end and said intermediate portion;     a first applicator detachably placed on an adjoining portion of said fish hook for inserting said fish hook into the hold-down engagement hole towards the second side of the circuit assembly, said angled tip resiliently engaging an inner wall of the hold-down engagement hole of the circuit assembly; and   a second applicator detachably placed on said angled tip for spreading said angled tip of said fish hook towards the second side until said angled tip further urges against the inner wall.   
     
     
       2. A system for placing a hold-down for securing a connector housing to a circuit assembly, the circuit assembly having a first side, a second side, and a hold-down engagement hole, the system comprising: a fish-hook hold-down, wherein said fish-hook hold-down comprises: a connector housing contact portion for securing the hold-down to the connector housing;   an intermediate portion having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said intermediate portion is integral with one end of said connector housing contact portion; and   a fish hook integral with said second end of said intermediate portion, said fish hook having a proximal end adjacent to said second end of said intermediate portion and a distal end opposite said proximal end, said distal end including an angled tip portion, wherein said angled tip portion is angled with respect to an axis along said proximal end and said intermediate portion; and     an applicator detachably placed on an adjoining portion of said fish hook and said fish hook for inserting said fish hook into the hold-down engagement hole towards the second side of the circuit assembly, said applicator simultaneously spreading said angled tip of said fish hook towards the second side until said angled tip sufficiently urges against an inner wall of hold-down engagement hole.   
     
     
       3. The system of claim 1, wherein said hold-down further comprises a plurality of connector housing contact portions each having a first end an a second end for securing the hold-down to the connector housing, a plurality of intermediate portions each having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of each of said intermediate portions is integral with the first end of each of said connector housing contact portions, and an adjoining portion located at the second end of each of said connector housing contact portions for adjoining said plurality of said contact portions. 
     
     
       4. The system of claim 3, wherein said hold-down further comprises a plurality of fish hooks each integral with said second end of said intermediate portion.